Automatic hat-blocking machine.



- PATENTED MAY 2-2, 1906. C. EICKEMEYER. AUTOMATIC HAT BLOCKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 25, 1905.

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witmeooeo No. 821,284 'PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

G. EIOKEMEYER.

AUTOMATIC HAT BLOCKING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED 0GT.25, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 wiweaoeb lam? wloz (ZJZ 80 A 33) Q Hem w 149%- QWWWJ- j PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

C. BICKEMEYER. AUTOMATIC HAT BLOCKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T.25, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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CARL EICKEMEYER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO TURNER ATHjERTON & CO., LTD., OF STOOKPORT, ENGLAND, A CORPORATION.

AUTOMATIC HAT-BLOCKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed October 25, 1905. Serial No. 284,366-

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL EICKEMEYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Hat-Blockin Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to hat-blocking machines, and more particularly to the banding and brim-setting devices used in such machines.

The invention has among its objects to furnish means whereby the body and brim of the hat are properly set after the blocking and banding operations have taken place. The invention also contemplates the provision of improved means for automatically controlling the admission of water to the banding-shell and brim-setting device during the setting operation.

With these and other ends in view the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are denoted by the same reference characters throughout, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hat-blocking machine provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the brim-setting ring and its frame. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the water-valve, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of said valve and the bracket therefor.

In the drawings, A denotes the frame of the machine, which is of the type illustrated in Letters Patent N 0. 540,219, granted May 28, 1895, to Rudolf Eickemeyer. 'Said frame embodies upright side rods a, movable in vertical direction by mechanism arranged at the lower part of the frame, but not shown. The hat-block and brim-pulling devices are also not shown, but in practice are located above the trough I), supported between the side frames of. the machine intermediately of the height of the same. Extending between the side rods a and fixedly applied to the same adjacent their upper ends, is the cross-head c, movable in vertical direction therewith and carrying the banding shell or can (I. These parts are of known construction.

Below the cross-head c and supported by the side rods a is a diamond-shaped frame e. (Shown in Fig. 3.) Said frame carries a watersetting ring f, surrounding the banding-shell d and provided at its lower surface with a number of small outlet-holes g. A removable cover It is applied to the ring f, and said cover is provided at its rear part with a nipple "L for a water connection, as will be described.

In one of the side frames of the machine is arranged a rotary steam-valve j, to which is connected the steam-inlet pipekand a pipe Z, leading from said valve to the upper portion of the banding-shell, as shown at m, so that when said valve is opened steam is admitted into said shell. The pipe Z has an intermediate flexible section Z to permit the vertical movement of the banding-shell. The valve 7' is o erated by a crank n, connecting-link 0, an cam-operated lever p. Said lever is mounted at one end upon a rock-shaft 8X, which is operated in a manner to be hereinafter described. A water-valve q is carried by the same side frame as said steam-valve, and said water-valve, to which water is admitted through the pipe r, is connected with an upright pipe 8, having flexible pipes 25 a leading therefrom to the upper part of the banding-shell and the connecting-nipple i at the rear of the water-ring, respectively.

The particular construction of the watervalve 9 is shown in Fig. 4, where it will be seen that the valve-casing g is carried by a bracket 4), removably attached, by means of bolts, to the side frame previously indicated. The inlet-pipe r enters the valve-casing at one side of the same adjacent the valve-seat w, with which cooperates a vertically-movable valve w, guided by its spindle y in the upperpart of the casing. Between the upper part of the casing and the valve w is arranged a helical spring, which surrounds said spindle or stem y and normally maintains the valve against its seat. The water after passing downwardly below the valve-seat issues through a lateral passage into the pipe 8. The spindle y extends downwardly to the exterior of the casing g where it engages a laterally-extending vertically-movable shoe .2, carried by an upright rod a, which is connected with a lever b, as shown. Said lever is fixed at one end upon the rock-shaft 8X, and near the unction of said lever with said upright rod the former is provided with a lug upon which is mounted a roller b traveling in contact with the periphery of a cam X, mounted upon a shaft Y, journaled in'the frame of the machine, said roller being constantly held in engagement with said cam by gravity. cam the rocking movement of the lever b is produced. This lever b is thus automatically operated to open and close the valve g, so that water is admitted to the bandingshell and setting-ring at the proper time to effect the setting of the hat and is also turned off at the proper time. The lever 19 partakes of the movement of the rock-shaft 8X When the same is rocked by the cam X through the medium of the lever I), thus operating the valve j. The levers p and 1), although actuated simultaneously, operate their corresponding valves differently, as said valves are so arranged that when one is opened the other is closed.

The operation of the improved machine is as follows: The hat after bein taken out of the boiling water is clampec on the hatblock, after which the latter is moved beneath the bandingshell, at which time the steam-valve is'automatically opened. The steam then takes out all the folds in the hatbody. After the banding operation has taken place and the brim has undergone its stretching operation the steam-valve is closed and the water-valve automatically so that water is admitted to the bandingshell in order to set the body of the hat and to the water-ring in order to set the brim by spraying out of the openings in said ring upon the same. When the proper setting of the body and brim has been effected, the water is automatically turned off by the cam and By the rotary movement of said tion, with the opened,

lever mechanism. The water after trickling off the hat finds its way into the trough.

Having thus described my invention, I

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1 Patent 1. In a hat-blocking machine, in combinabanding-shell, means for automatically supplying steam to the same during the banding operation, and automatic means for supplying water thereto during the setting operation.

2; In a hat-blocking machine, a water-containing brim-setting ring provided at its under surface with a plurality of perforations.

3. In a hat-blocking machine, the combination, with the bandingshell, of a watersetting ring surrounding the same, means for automatically supplying steam to said shell during the banding operation, and means for automatically supplying water to said shell and ring during the setting operation.

4. In a hat-blocking machine, a Watervalve comprising a casing having an inlet at one side thereof, a valve-seat adjacent said inlet, a valve cooperating with said seat, a spindle for said valve guided in the upper portion of the casing, a spring surrounding said spindle and interposed between the valve and the upper portion of the casing, a shoe engaging the lower part of said spindle eXteriorly of the casing, and means for raising and lowering said shoe.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL EIOKEMEYER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, H. J. SUHRBIER. 

